Episode 3 – ‘Connor’s Wedding’
This exceptional television episode, flawlessly directed by Mark Mylod, accomplishes an incredible directing feat. Mark Mylod spoke about his concerns surrounding a particular scene, scene 11, on the HBO Succession Podcast. This scene spanned an astonishing 27 pages, beginning with Shiv entering the VIP area and concluding with Kendall on the phone with Frank on the rear deck. Jesse and Mark aimed to create a sense of real-time grief, ensuring that every cutaway from the siblings would feel like a missed opportunity to confront their emotions.
Mylod credits Kieran Culkin for the brilliant idea of shooting this 28-minute scene without camera reloads (Succession is shot on film, requiring manual reloading every ten minutes). Mylod embraced this concept and strategically placed hidden rolls of film around the set to enable instantaneous camera reloads, ensuring that one camera would always be rolling. Nearly half of the episode was captured continuously in one take and that very take made its way into the final episode. This accomplishment is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the cast and crew.
During the podcast, Brian Cox shared insights into Logan’s perspective on his children. Cox believed that Logan would “be a lot better off if he didn’t love his children. He’d be a happier man. But he loves his children, and it’s a conflict. He can’t deal with the pain of it, the fact that he loves his children and they don’t honour him.” Despite Cox’s commanding portrayal of Logan, it’s easy to overlook the genuine love he harboured for his children. He just didn’t hold them in high regard.